BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo Common Councilman Ulysses Wingo was blunt when asked on Friday for his reaction to the Buffalo School Board's decision on Wednesday to ban him from school property for 18 months, which means he won't be able to attend his son's graduation this year or his daughter's graduation next year.
"Sometimes, honesty costs," Wingo said. "In this instance, it cost me both my son's and daughter's graduation."
Wingo has spoken with his children about not being able to attend graduation and described the situation as "tough" but acknowledged they've come to terms with it.
The principal at Riverside, Jerome Piwko, resigned on Thursday after he was initially placed on administrative leave by the district. Piwko let Wingo store the gun in a school safe. Wingo said his heart goes out to Piwko for losing his job and putting him in that situation.
"Whether folks believe the punishment was excessive or not, I've accepted it and we're moving on," Wingo said. "As a community, now we have to engage in restorative practices and that's what we have to focus on right now."
Wingo removed himself as chairman of the city's education committee following a resolution from the school board which called for him to be removed. Wingo said he has not taken any steps as chairman and did not say that he will try to because he is "still in this moment".
"I removed myself because I understood the gravity of the situation and knew that I had, at the point, compromised some of the relationship and trust between myself and the district," he said. "Therefore, I removed myself from that position and I was not re-seeking reappointment after I removed myself."
He said he has not thought about asking the district to lower the 18-month ban from school property.